Internal-combustion engine



May 1, 1923.

D. M. WEIGEL INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Aug- 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 fi uyewiforz 7mm W Hum May 1, 1923. I 1,453,423

D. M. WEIGEL INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Aug. 4, 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet Z ,Zhwnft'or: all l atent i ay 1, i923.

15m. mcnm, WEIGE1L,.OF LONDON, momma INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Application filed August 4, 1919. Serial No. 815,185.

To all whom it may concem I Be. it lmown that I, -DANIEL MICHEL WEIGEL, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

In my applications for patents No. 265,463 filed Dec. 5 1918,No. 273,849 filed Jan. 29, 1919, and ll'o. 308,632 filed July 3, 1919, 1 describe an engine of a rotary type provided with substantially radial cylinders revolving upon a central axis, the pistons being connected to a stationary crank pin which is eccentric to the axis of rotation. Each set of cylinders comprises a plurality of cylinders, some of which are power producers and some compressor or pump cylinders. These cylinders are radially disposed about a central axis. The air or gas induced by the compressors, is supplied under pressure to the power cylinders substantially at or just prior to the completion of the outward or ascending piston stroke. After expansion which takes place upon the inward or descending stroke of the working pistons, the burned gases are exhausted through valves in the head of the cylinders by centrifugal force. The exhausting of the burned gases is aided by scavenging air which is admitted through cowls or hoods disposed over one or more of the exhaust valves. The engine thus operates upon a two-stroke cycle. The v0 ume of compressed gas contained in the .clearance actually existing in the power cylinders may be supplemented by the discharge of the compressors and. the clearance volume of the power producers is not confined to the given ratio to the stroke volume but may be at any volume desired and at any ratio,v more or less, as desired.

According to the present invention a plurality of power producers revolve upon a central axis, the pistons being connected to a stationary crank in which is eccentric to the axis ofrotation. One or more sets of radial cylinders may be provided if desired. The gases are admitted through mechanically operated valves which rotate around a common cam and are opened at the desired time to admit the charges. Mechanically operated exhaust valves, and preferably a plurality of them, are situated 1n the head of the cylinder and rotate sired angular degrees.

around a stationary cam which operates the opening and pernnts the closing at the de- The valves are mamly maintained 'closed by centrifugal forces but when opened the exhaust gases are expelled by centrifugal force, by reason. of their welght. Over all, for some, of the exhaust valves, cowls, hoods or venturis are fixed with their opening in the direction of rotation and through these the cylinders receive ablast of air induced by their own rotation.

A centrifugal compressor driven by the engine or by any other means, delivers fresh charges under pressure to each power produce-r, preferably through a common circumferential duct, from which it is admitted to the working c linders in turn through the'inlet valves. Situated between the centrifu al compressor and the duct or pipes may e a carbureter attached to a rotary distributer. The centrifugal com? pressor inducesfree air and compresses it through the choke pipe of the carbureter forming the required mixture which is admitted into the working cylinders.

The Diesel two cycle may also be employed in the which case free air is compressed by the centrifugal compressor and admitted into the cylinders and the fuel injected in the usual way after closure of the inlet valves.

The clearance volume in the working cylinders is not confined to the given ratio of the stroke volume and may be at any volume desired either supplemented by the compressor or decreased.

Ports may be supplied at the base of the cylinder, so that they are uncovered by the piston when it has nearly completed the descending stroke and the blast of air entering through the cowl or hood may com plete the discharge of foul gas through such sible restrlction of space presents advantages. The introduction and use of a centrifugal compressor is of especial utility where speed of rotation is maintained nearly constant, as it permits or? all the radial cyl== inders being power producers and materially decreases the ratio ct space and weight to power.

The centrifugal compressor may revolve at the same speed as the power producers or it may be driven by gears at a higher or lower speed, or it may be driven by a train of gears to permit of varying the ratio of speed. The body of the compressor may rotate in the opposite direction of the fans and in the same direction as the cylinders and may be employed as the distributor of the charges to the cylinders.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a part section and part elevation diagrammatic view 0t my engine.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the engine and compressor.

In Fig. 1, the c hnders of which five are shown are set ra ially round the shaft e and b the piston connected by the rod 0 to the stationery crank pin d. l? is the body of a centrifugal com ressor held stationary on foundation the fans p (Fig. 2) are driven by the gear r.ofit the engine shaft e lf is the exhaust valvestwo being shown and O is a cowl or hood over one of them. X is the duct which transfers the charges throng the 1m let valve L.

Fig. 2 is a cross section: a the cylinder, 7) piston, 0 connectln rod, a brank pin, and e the crank she held stationary by the holdfast 0Z is an exhaust valve operated by cam k through the trip rod h and lever gL the inlet valve operated by the cam WW-p is the centrifugal compressor having its fan or blades driven ofi' the shaft by the gear wheels at s is the pipe leading the compressed air to carburetor, t to the distributor o and thence to the cylinder b the duct to.

To describe the working of the engine. The radially set cylinders rotate upon a fixed crank shaft and the piston are operated by their connection to a pin set eccentric to the rotation. The en ine in its rotation drives a centrifuge compressor, which compresses air through a carburetor, charging it with fuel. At the desired angular degrees the inlet valves of each cylinder opens one at the time consecutively and admits any desired volume of compressed gas and which volume is in ratio to the clearance and compressor capacity or is variable by increasinor decreasing the speed of the centri compressor by altering the gear ratio through a lever. The gases having been admitted and the inlet valve closed prior to the completion of the outward strolre of the piston the gases are ignited, by any means-or in the Diesel cycle com ressed airv alone would be admitted an combustion made by the admisgases discharged by their own pressure, and

a completer discharge by the heavier than air'carbon dioxide being thrown out b the centrifugal force due to the high eripheral speed of the engine, and the va ves being on such periphery; the complete discharge is then performed by a current of air passing through a scoop or cowl or hood or venturi placed over one or more of the exhaust valves directing the current of air caused by the rotation of the cylinders into the cylinder and out of the other exhaust valves or out of the ports uncovered by the piston at the endor near the end of'its stroke. The exhaust valves are then released and reseat themselves, due to the centrifu al force of the rotating cylinders. 'lhe cy nders are now readytor a fresh charge and the inlet valve reopened to permit of a repetition of the functions described above operating every revolution.

lit is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details herein specifically described but can be practiced in other ways without departure from its spirit.

I cl:

1. In an internal combustion engine, a

plurality of rotating cylinders adapted to receive explosive mixture in a precompressed state and to derive ener from said gases by their expansion when ignited, said cylinders being adapted to directly expand said gases without further substantial compression therein, a centrifugal compressor having vanes adapted to be driven upon the rotation of said engine cylinders for comressing air for the said mixture, and means a or supplying said gases to said cylinder from said compressor.

2. lln an internal combustion engine, a centrifugal compressor rotary engine power cylinders having provision for driving said compressor and receiving explosive mixture therefrom in a precompressed state, said power cylinders aving provisions for expanding said explosive mixture upon ignicomprising a plurality of rotating eylinders, a centrifugal compressor having a mation without substantially further comtionary casing and fan vanes adapted to be driven by said cylinders, a rotary distributor for receiving the gases from said compressor, ducts connecting said distributor with said cylinders for supplying compressed gases thereto, and means for admitting the compressed gases to the cylinders at substantiall the end of the outward piston strokes w ereby there is substantially no further compression of the gases in the cylinders.

4. A rotary internal combustion engine comprising a plurality of rotating power cylinders, a centrifugal compressor havin a stationary casing and fan vanes adapted to be driven at high speed by the rotation of the power cylinders, a conduit upon the discharge side of said compressor adapted to receive compressed air therefrom, a carburettor in said conduit through which all of the compressed air is adapted to flow, a rotary distributor connected with said conduit on the discharge side ofsaidcarburettor and ducts connecting said distributor with said engine cylinders for supplying mixture thereto. I

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

DANIEL MICHEL WEIG EL. 

